GRANBY – The first no-hitter in more than two decades at Granby may have deserved a little more fanfare.
After strike three left Rams pitcher Ryan Gaughan’s hand and dropped in cathcer Mike Toth’s glove, there was no dog pile or gloves thrown. Gaughan punched his glove and hi-fived Daniel Gauvin as his teammates patted him on the back after a 1-0 season-opening victory over Easthampton on Friday. He didn’t even know he’d thrown a no-hitter until the Rams gathered as a team in the outfield to debrief. No one mentioned anything in the dugout, keeping with traditional baseball superstition.
“I was speechless. Nobody was saying anything in the dugout. I really didn’t know,” Gaughan said. “It was a team effort, if the defense doesn’t make plays, I wouldn’t have been throwing a no-hitter. I credit the defense the whole time.”
Final: Granby 1, Easthampton 0. Ryan gaughan throws a no-hitter. Faced the minimum. Remarkable game. 8 Ks pic.twitter.com/evm8GGUkTB
— Kyle Grabowski (@kylegrbwsk) April 1, 2022
He finished with eight strikeouts and didn’t allow a base runner until the top of the seventh inning, facing the minimum. Gaughan only threw 73 pitches in cold, windy conditions. He got through the top of the fourth inning with just three pitches, inducing a first-swing ground out, line out and fly out.
“He did exactly what you expect every time out. He’s consistent and he’s efficient,” said Granby coach Jim Woods, who has led the Rams for 20 years. “He knows how to pitch. He changes speeds well, hits the spot, does all the good things that you can.”
Easthampton senior Otis Follet became the Eagles’ only baserunner with a four-pitch leadoff walk in the seventh. He worked a 3-0 count then went to first on the next pitch. Gaughan didn’t let it faze him, inducing a double play on a ground ball to shortstop where Ray Toth showed his range and composure to get both outs.
“We’ll take that every day. Ray’s a stud,” Gaughan said.
With one out separating Gaughan from a no-hitter, Mike Toth called timeout to briefly talk to his pitcher. He knew the situation and what was at stake.
“I was just trying to keep him composed. I wasn’t sure if he knew,” Mike Toth said. “I was trying to make sure he was alright and he didn’t panic or anything.”
That wasn’t the only boost he gave Gaughan, either. Mike Toth drove in the game’s only run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brandon Wishart, playing baseball for the first time in five years, laced his second single of the game right up the middle to lead off the inning.
“I saw him work pretty well last week against Hampshire in the scrimmage, and I said, ‘you know what, this guy’s earned a shot.’ Obviously it turned out well for him,” Woods said of Wishart.
Then Gaughan laid down a picturesque sacrifice bunt to move him to second. Raymond Toth flew out, bringing up his twin brother. Mike Toth drifted a ball into shallow left field and it dropped in front of Easthampton’s charging left fielder, bringing around Wishart for what turned out to be the game’s only run.
“The game changes with two outs. That doesn’t do anything for us with one out, but with two outs he’s in scoring position,” Woods said. “He rolls at third and we score easily.”
That was all the Rams (1-0) could muster and all they needed. Easthampton (0-1) planned to throw four pitchers in the season opener, but Nicholas Lloyd took over in the third inning and threw well enough to stay on the mound.
Rbi double by mike toth makes it 1-0 Granby. 1 out bottom 5 pic.twitter.com/5VDLfkxM10
— Kyle Grabowski (@kylegrbwsk) April 1, 2022
Just not better than Gaughan or the Rams defense behind him. Granby handled hard-hit balls from Easthampton, executing well enough to produce the outs.
“I thought we put the ball in play. Kid gets a no-hitter, but it doesn’t speak to how many balls that we hit hard to people and the plays that they made, too, that weren’t necessarily routine,” Easthampton coach Ed Zuchowski said.
It was not only Granby’s first no hitter in more than two decades, it was the first of Gaughan’s life.
“Feels good,” he said.
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.